


Braver Than We Are

by voltarrrrr



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, Tanz der Vampire | Dance of the Vampires - Steinman/Kunze
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternative Universe - Tanz der Vampire, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Awkward Flirting, Awkwardness, Character's Name Spelled as Hanji, Comedy, Depressive Thoughts, Dreams and Nightmares, Eventual Smut, Female Hange Zoë, Human/Vampire Relationship, Love Triangles, Luring, M/M, Minor Character Death, More characters to be added, Multi, Open Relationships, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Vampire Hunters, Vampire Turning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:28:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29977380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voltarrrrr/pseuds/voltarrrrr
Summary: Some time in the late 19th century, Professor Hanji Zoë and Mike Zacharias, her young but reluctant assistant, arrive in a small inn somewhere deep in the mountains of Shinganshina, where they hope to prove the Professor's theory that vampires actually do exist. Naturally, the villagers are in deep denial and refuse to confirm their beliefs.Mike soon gets to know Levi Ackerman, the innkeeper's nephew, and is immediately smitten. The attraction is mutual but what Mike doesn't know is that at night Levi gets lured by a mysterious stranger, promising him eternal life, freedom and power...
Relationships: Erwin Smith/Mike Zacharias, Levi Ackerman/Erwin Smith, Levi Ackerman/Erwin Smith/Mike Zacharias, Levi Ackerman/Mike Zacharias, Nile Dok/Erwin Smith (background), Nile Dok/Mike Zacharias (background)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6





	Braver Than We Are

**Author's Note:**

> Glad you found here to my new Attack on Titan fanfiction!  
> This fanfiction is based on the musical "Tanz der Vampire" (which is based on the movie "The Fearless Vampire Killers") but there is absolutely no need to know about the original source so don't worry :)  
> I'll be mostly working with the content of the German musical production but will also change up some plotlines, etc.  
> The prolouge is rather short but I do plan on making future chapters longer.  
> I genuinely hope there will be someone interested in following this story; I'd appreciate it so much since I'm rather passionate about this AU.  
> Feel free to ask any questions about this AU aswell!!!
> 
> Enjoy!!!

Ridden by panic, green eyes scanned the area. It was dark. Way too dark to see beyond one or two metres of distance.  
Mike Zacharias, a young man, student of Stohess University, was plodding through the snowy mountains of Shinganshina.  
All alone. Lost.  
When in fact, he definetly shouldn't be on his own.

Mike had taken on this journey with Professor Hanji Zoë, a scientist from Stohess. And Mike was her ingenious, decent and resistant assistant.  
At least that's what he aspired to be.  
Professor Hanji would probably describe him as clumsy and quiet - maybe acceptable at best if he was lucky and he had just willingly helped her out with one of her experiments.

The goal of the journey?  
Proving Professor Hanji's theory that the living dead actually do exist.  
It had taken her years of research and studying and she was so close to make it all worth.  
If only they both hadn't ended up in this horribly miserable situation.

The layers of snow were thick and icy cold, making it hard to move forward but Mike was trying his best, knowing he had to keep going.

"Professor?" Mike called out quietly, struggling to raise his volume as his teeth chattered in the cold.  
"Professor", he called out again, this time a bit louder.  
This wasn't good. Not good at all.

Merely an hour ago everything had been just fine.  
The professor had decided to rest and take some notes about their journey.  
At that point the sun was going down and while it may had been cold already, there was no storm raging and tormenting them.  
Mike could have slapped himself for being so thoughtless, taking a stroll on his own to see if the inn they were supposed to stay in was anywhere nearby already. In only a short amount of time the sun was all gone and before Mike could have decided to head back to the professor, a snow storm had arrived.  
He was absolutely lost.

Oh, how he hoped that nothing had happened to the professor. He could never forgive himself if that was actually the case.  
If only he wouldn't freeze to death that night, that was.

"Professor, where are you?!", Mike shouted, trying his best to listen for any possible answer out of the darkness but the wind was howling, making basically impossible to hear anything at all.

In a moment of absolute desperation, Mike chuckled helplessly. He was thinking about how Professor Hanji maybe hasn't even noticed him being gone as she always was so engrossed in her studies, oblivious to everything happening around her. Eventually she was still resting somewhere, taking notes and not caring for the storm and the dark one bit, Mike thought, quite obviously knowing how ridiculous and unrealistic it was.

He tried his best to keep moving forward, fighting against the wind and snow blowing against him. Stiff fingers tightened the scarf wrapped around his head once more, trying to keep warm and secure the student cap he was wearing.

Mike collected all his strength: "PROFESSOR!"

He clung on to his brown leather bag as if it was any sort of comfort. His eyes were tearing up - unable to tell if the cause was the weather or his own stupidity - but felt incredibly dry at the same time.  
In a moment of hope he pressed them shut, thinking he might be able to hear Professor Hanji calling out to him if he only concentrated more on one sense at a time.  
But there was nothing.

Mike had to find her or else she'd freeze to death and that really wasn't a nice end for an extraordinary person like she was one.  
Maybe a bit weird but well educated for sure.  
A little strange but full of phenomenal ideas.

Surely her death would make it onto the front page of every newspaper in and around Stohess.  
'SCIENTIST PERISHED ON JOURNEY IN SHINGANSHINA', Mike imagined the title to be.  
But then it occurred to him that no one would even spare a thought about him. He was nothing special. Merely an assistant, a student.  
No one even knew he existed.  
No one would miss him.

Panic arose within him once more at that realization and he started to move forward again, into the unknown. He couldn't let it end like this. Not today.

"PROFESSOR HANJI", Mike tried again, screaming into the darkness.  
"IT'S ME, YOUR ASSISTANT, MIKE."

All this screaming combined with the cold made him dizzy and it felt like he was about to collaps. If he could only-

"Professor!", he gasped.

Mike's heart skipped a beat as he spotted a faint figure in the distance.  
All the snow suddenly didn't bother him anymore as he was running towards the dark figure and dropped to his knees as he arrived right next to it.

"Professor Hanji, are you okay?", he asked in an agitated manner, lightly shaking the other's shoulder. But there was no reply.

"Oh god-" he managed to choke out, fearing the worst.

No no no no no, this couldn't be happening.  
Not now that he had finally found her.  
She couldn't be dead. She should be alive. She must.

In his panicked state, Mike quickly evaluated and then did what was the only plausible solution to their misery. The only way he might be able to save the professor from the cold grasps of death itself.

Despite his own body almost giving in, he gathered all his strength for one last time and lifted Hanji's limp body up, starting to carry her through the storm. It was a good thing he was tall and relatively strong even if his gentle personality barely matched with his intimidating appearance as people often noticed.

Mike was determined. His mind set on one goal only.  
He had to find that inn and save Professor Hanji's life.  
It was their only and last hope.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: @commander-dawk


End file.
